26 November 2015

Nikon firmware update for the D750 and D4s


Apart from the software update mentioned in the previous article, Nikon today also released a firmware update for their D750 and D4s DSLR cameras. You can download the updates directly from Nikon's download centre:

Changes in D750 firmware C1.10

  • An External recording control option has been added to the HDMI item in the SETUP MENU. If the camera is connected via HDMI to a third-party recorder that supports the Atomos Open Protocol (the Atomos SHOGUN, NINJA2, or NINJA BLADE), selecting On allows camera controls to be used to start and stop recording. More information is available in a supplementary manual.
    Note:Choose an option other than 576p (progressive) or 480p (progressive) for HDMI > Output resolution in the SETUP MENU.
  • Fixed the following issues:
    • The brightness of the live view photography display would not change when a command dial was rotated to adjust exposure compensation with On (Auto reset) selected for b Metering/exposure > b3 Easy exposure compensation > Easy exposure compensation in the CUSTOM SETTING MENU.
    • Although the preview button would stop the lens down to maximum aperture when assigned the Preview role, the maximum aperture indicator would not appear in the monitor.
    • In rare cases, the shutter would not be released when the user attempted to take photographs in movie live view.
    • About 4 seconds of static could be heard on audio recorded with external HDMI recorders during movie live view.
    • The shutter speed, aperture, and ISO sensitivity displayed in the monitor during movie live view would differ from values in the final movie file.
    • Part of the focus point would disappear if the user zoomed in while the framing grid was displayed.
    • Volume could sometimes not be adjusted if movies were played with indicators hidden during full-frame playback (None (image only)).
    • Exposure compensation would fail to produce the desired results if a negative value was selected when NEF (RAW) images were processed using the NEF (RAW) processing option in the RETOUCH MENU.
    • Images would in rare cases fail to record correctly with HDR (high dynamic range) selected in the PHOTO SHOOTING MENU.
    • If On was selected for Exposure smoothing during interval timer photography, every frame after the first would be overexposed.
    • File numbers were not assigned in the proper sequence.
    • The focus point would not be displayed in the correct location in the monitor.
    • In some languages, characters or parts of characters would be missing from the SETUP MENU > Location data > Position display.
    • In some languages, characters or parts of characters would be missing from the SETUP MENU > AF fine-tune > List saved values display.
    • In some regions, nothing would be displayed when Conformity marking was selected in the SETUP MENU.
  • Some help text has been changed.
  • Optimal vibration reduction is now available with vibration reduction lenses.

Changes in D4s firmware C1.30

  • An External recording control option has been added to the HDMI item in the SETUP MENU. If the camera is connected via HDMI to a third-party recorder that supports the Atomos Open Protocol (the Atomos SHOGUN, NINJA2, or NINJA BLADE), selecting On allows camera controls to be used to start and stop recording. More information is available in a supplementary manual.
    Note:
    • Choose an option other than 576p (progressive) or 480p (progressive) for HDMI > Output resolution in the SETUP MENU.
    • Choose an option other than Auto for HDMI > Output resolution in the SETUP MENU when 640x  424; 30p or 640x  424; 25p is selected for Movie settings > Frame size/frame rate in the SHOOTING MENU.
  • Fixed the following issues:
    • In rare cases, the shutter would not be released when the user attempted to take photographs in movie live view.
    • About 4 seconds of static could be heard on audio recorded with external HDMI recorders during movie live view.
    • Exposure compensation would fail to produce the desired results if a negative value was selected when NEF (RAW) images were processed using the NEF (RAW) processing option in the RETOUCH MENU.
    • Images would in rare cases fail to record correctly with HDR (high dynamic range) selected in the SHOOTING MENU.
    • In portrait orientation, the monitor would not show the focus point in the correct location if 5:4 (30x24) was selected for Choose image area.

Nikon software update: ViewNX-i 1.1.0 and Capture NX-D 1.3.0

Nikon today released an update to their ViewNX-i photo viewer and Capture NX-D photo editor applications. The new versions can be downloaded directly from Nikon's download centre:

Changes in ViewNX-i 1.1.0

  • Picture Control Utility 2 is now installed with ViewNX-i.
  • Added an Edit workspace and an Adjustments palette for retouch features similar to those in ViewNX 2.
  • Fixed an issue that caused the ViewNX-i Show Focus Point option to display the focus point in a position that differed from that shown in the D750 viewfinder focus point display.
  • Added support for Turkish.

Changes in Capture NX-D 1.3.0

  • Updated the buttons in the toolbar to bring them in line with ViewNX-i.
  • Added Rotate and NEF/NRW + JPEG buttons to the toolbar.
  • anged the behavior of the Crop tool.
  • Changed the Aspect Ratio options available in the Crop palette.
  • Added a Discard rating to the Apply Ratings options.
  • Added an Include areas without image data option to the Straighten palette.
  • Added an Auto Red-Eye option to the Camera and Lens Corrections palette.
  • Added an On (underwater) option to the Auto Distortion Control pull-down menu in the Camera and Lens Corrections palette.
    • Note that On (underwater) is available only with photographs taken using an A-CIL camera (advanced camera with interchangeable lenses) that supports underwater auto distortion control, and then only if the camera was fitted with a waterproof lens and On (underwater) was selected for Auto distortion control in the camera menus.
  • Fluorescent has been removed from the white balance pull-down menu in the edit palette.
    • When opened in Capture NX-D version 1.3.0, images saved with Fluorescent selected in Capture NX-D version 1.2.1 or earlier will automatically be converted to Use gray point with no loss in quality.
  • Fixed an issue that caused the Capture NX-D Show Focus Point option to display the focus point in a position that differed from that shown in the D750 viewfinder focus point display.
  • Fixed an issue that caused Capture NX-D to hang with Sorting… displayed.
  • Fixed an issue with the focus point display for photographs taken with the D7200.
  • Added support for Turkish.

18 November 2015

Adobe Camera Raw 9.3 now available

Adobe Camera Raw 9.3 is now available through the update mechanism in Photoshop CC and the Creative Cloud application.


Note: Camera Raw 9.3 is only available in Photoshop CC or later. If you are using using older versions of Photoshop, you can utilize the DNG Converter for continued camera support (Download DNG Converter 9.3:  Mac  | Win).

Lightroom 6.3 update brings back the original import dialog!


With Lightroom 6.2, Adobe introduced an (in their words) simpler and improved import dialog. This “dumbed down” dialog was immensely disliked by the majority of users. That and the numerous critical bugs that plagued the release got Adobe to apologize for it publicly. With the new 6.3 update, Adobe fixed the bugs and restored the original import experience. Support for additional cameras and lenses has been added as well.

The Lightroom 6.3 update is available for both the stand-alone users and Creative Cloud subscribers.

30 October 2015

Nikon D810 firmware update

Nikon just released a new firmware update for its D810 camera.

You can download the new C1.10 firmware directly from the Nikon Download Centre.

Firmware C1.10 contains the following updates and fixes:
  • An External recording control option has been added to the HDMI item in the SETUP MENU. If the camera is connected via HDMI to a third-party recorder that supports the Atomos Open Protocol (the Atomos SHOGUN, NINJA2, or NINJA BLADE), selecting On allows camera controls to be used to start and stop recording. More information is available in a supplementary manual.
    Note: Choose an option other than 576p (progressive) or 480p (progressive) for HDMI > Output resolution in the SETUP MENU.
  • Fixed the following issues:
    • Incorrect distances were shown in the camera playback info display for photographs taken with an optional flash unit in distance-priority manual (GN) mode.
    • The brightness of the live view photography display would not change when a command dial was rotated to adjust exposure compensation with On (Auto reset) selected for Metering/exposure > b4 Easy exposure compensation > Easy exposure compensation in the CUSTOM SETTING MENU.
    • Although the preview button would stop the lens down to maximum aperture when assigned the Preview role, the maximum aperture indicator would not appear in the monitor.
    • In rare cases, the shutter would not be released when the user attempted to take photographs in movie live view.
    • About 4 seconds of static could be heard on audio recorded with external HDMI recorders during movie live view.
    • The shutter speed, aperture, and ISO sensitivity displayed in the monitor during movie live view would differ from values in the final movie file.
    • Volume could sometimes not be adjusted if movies were played with indicators hidden during full-frame playback (None (image only)).
    • Exposure compensation would fail to produce the desired results if a negative value was selected when NEF (RAW) images were processed using the NEF (RAW) processing option in the RETOUCH MENU.
    • Images would in rare cases fail to record correctly with HDR (high dynamic range) selected in the SHOOTING MENU.
    • If On was selected for Exposure smoothing during interval timer photography, every frame after the first would be overexposed.
    • File numbers were not assigned in the proper sequence.
    • In some languages, characters or parts of characters would be missing from the SETUP MENU > Location data > Position display.
    • In some languages, characters or parts of characters would be missing from the SETUP MENU > AF fine-tune > List saved values display.
  • Some help text has been changed.

16 September 2015

Canon EOS-1D X firmware update

More firmware updates this month: Canon has released firmware 2.0.8 for its flagship EOS-1D X camera. You can download the new firmware from the Canon website.

Firmware version 2.0.8 incorporates the following fix:

  • Fixes a phenomenon which occurs when the “Shutter button half-press” menu item, configured in “C.Fn5: Operation” > “Custom Controls Menu”, is set to metering start only; depending on when the shutter button is half-pressed, it may initiate AutoFocus.

15 September 2015

Nikon firmware updates for the D5200 and D7100

Nikon released firmware updates for its D5200 and D7100 DSLR cameras.

You can download the new firmware from the Nikon Download centre:


Nikon D5200 firmware version 1.03 change log

  • Reduced noise (horizontal lines) in movies shot with 1280×720; 60p or 1280×720; 50p selected for Frame size/frame rate.
  • Fixed an issue with the camera freezing when the Clean image sensor option was used.

Nikon D7100 firmware version 1.03 change log


  • Reduced noise (horizontal lines) in movies shot with 1280×720; 60p or 1280×720; 50p selected for Frame size/frame rate.
  • Fixed an issue that sometimes caused the display to darken when images were viewed by pressing the (playback) button.
  • Fixed an issue with the menus for some languages where continued scrolling would cause the camera to freeze.
  • Fixed issues with the virtual horizon displayed using the Viewfinder virtual horizon option.
  • Fixed an issue with the camera freezing when the Clean image sensor option was used.



11 September 2015

Canon 7D MkII firmare update

Canon just released a firmware update for the 7D Mk II.

Firmware 1.05 contains the following fixes & improvements:
  • Improves AF accuracy when used in combination with the EF 16-35mm f/2.8L USM lens or EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM lens.
  • Fixes a phenomenon in which, in very rare cases, the "Peripheral illumination correction" is applied inconsistently.
  • Fixes a phenomenon in which, while performing an EF lens firmware update, the progress bar displayed on the LCD monitor may freeze at 100% even though the update has been completed.
  • Fixes a processing error in relation to the leap second for the "Geotag information appended to image" and "Log data" GPS functions.
  • Fixes a phenomenon, where at the time of shooting in very rare cases "Err 70" occurs, or the shutter does not release.
You can download the firmware from the Canon USA support site.

6 August 2015

Camera Raw 9.1.1 available

Adobe has released an update for Camera Raw (for Photoshop CS6 and CC). As always the DNG converter has been updated as well.

Note: From what I understood this will be the last Camera Raw update for Photoshop CS6. After this you will have to convert raw files from new and unsupported cameras to DNG if you want to be able to edit them in Photoshop CS6.

  • Camera Raw 9.1.1 is available through the update mechanism in Photoshop CS6 and Photoshop CC.
  • The DNG Converter can be downloaded from the Adobe website: OS X / Windows

New Camera Support in Camera Raw 9.1.1

  • Canon PowerShot G3 X
  • Casio EX-100F
  • Casio EX-ZR3000
  • Leica Q (Typ 116)
  • Olympus AIR-A01
  • Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX8
  • Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ300
  • Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ330
  • Pentax K-3 II*
  • Phase One IQ3 50MP
  • Phase One IQ3 60MP
  • Phase One IQ3 80MP
  • Ricoh GR II
  • Sony A7R II (ILCE-7RM2)
  • Sony DSC-RX10M2
  • Sony DSC-RX100M4
* Please note the following limitations specific to camera support for the Pentax K-3 II:
  • Pixel shift Resolution (PSR) mode was added in this release. It is recommended to use a tripod and use a 2-second timer to minimize motion artifacts when in PSR mode.
  • Images created with the In-camera HDR mode are not supported in ACR and Lightroom. Users who wish to shoot multi-capture HDR in raw mode should shoot separate files and merge to HDR using ACR/Lr’s Merge feature. Click here to learn more about merging files in Lightroom.

New Lens Profiles in Camera Raw 9.1.1

Mount Name
Canon Lensbaby Velvet 56mm f/1.6
Fujifilm Lensbaby Velvet 56mm f/1.6
Nikon Lensbaby Velvet 56mm f/1.6
Nikon SIGMA 24mm F1.4 DG HSM A015
Nikon SIGMA 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM C015
Olympus Lensbaby Velvet 56mm f/1.6
Panasonic Lensbaby Velvet 56mm f/1.6
Pentax Lensbaby Velvet 56mm f/1.6
Samsung Lensbaby Velvet 56mm f/1.6
Sigma SIGMA dp0 Quattro
Sigma SIGMA 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM C015
Sony A Lensbaby Velvet 56mm f/1.6
Sony E ZY Optics Mitakon 35mm f/0.95
Sony FE Lensbaby Velvet 56mm f/1.6
Sony FE Zeiss Batis 25mm f/2
Sony FE Zeiss Batis 85mm f/1.8

Fixed Bugs:

  • Fixed an issue with occasional visual artifacts in Photoshop after running Camera Raw in GPU mode.
  • Fixed an issue where automatic lens profile matching did not work for the Schneider LS 150mm f/3.5 lens.
  • Fixed an issue with distortion correction for some images captured with the Canon EF 8-15mm f4L Fisheye USM lens.
  • Improved quality of lens profiles for Nikon COOLPIX P330 and Nikon COOLPIX P340 cameras.
  • Improved speed of loading Fujifilm X-Trans raw images.
  • Fixed an issue where the slider knob would “jump back to its starting position” when the cursor moves beyond the slider interface.

More new Nikon lenses: 24mm f/1.8, 24-70mm f/2.8 VR, and 200-500mm f/5.6 VR

More new lenses from Nikon this summer. From a super wide and fast 24/1.8 to an update of the “bread-and-butter” 24-70/2.8 (now with VR!) to a brand new 200-500/5.6 VR super tele.

  • Nikkor 24mm f/1.8G ED: ± $750, available mid-September.
  • Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR: ± $2400, available August
  • Nikkor 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR: ± $1400, available mid-September
See below for the full specifications.

2 July 2015

New Nikon lenses: 500/4FL, 600/4FL, and 16-80/2.8-4.0 DX

Nikon just announced three new lenses. The first two are new and much (20 to 25%!) lighter versions of the 500 and 600mm super teles, and a surprise: a new 16-80 zoom lens for DX cameras (giving it an effective focal length of 24-120mm).

NIKKOR AF-S DX 16-80mm f/2.8-4E ED VR


  • DX format
  • Electromagnetic diaphragm
  • Nano Crystal coating
  • ED glass
  • Fluorine coating
  • VR up to four stops
  • Suggested retail price: $1069,95, available: starting July.

NIKKOR AF-S 500mm f/4E FL ED VR


  • Fluorite element (FL)
  • Three ED elements
  • Electromagnetic diaphragm
  • Lightweight
  • Improved AF performance during motion tracking
  • Fluorine coating
  • VR up to four stops
  • Sports VR mode
  • ~20% lighter than previous model (sadly also ~25% more expensive)
  • Suggested retail price: $10299.95 / €10,999.00, available: mid July

NIKKOR AF-S 600mm f/4E FL ED VR


  • Fluorite element (FL)
  • Three ED elements
  • Electromagnetic diaphragm
  • Lightweight
  • Improved AF performance during motion tracking
  • Fluorine coating
  • VR up to four stops
  • Sport VR mode
  • ~25% lighter than previous model (again also ~25% more expensive)
  • Suggested retail price: $12,299.95 / €12,999.00, available: mid July

16 June 2015

Adobe Photoshop CC 2015

More Adobe news: as part of the June update, Adobe also released a new version of Photoshop CC. This 2015 instalment comes with tons of new features and enhancements. Amongst others:
  • Camera 9.1 (see previous post).
  • Content aware fill for panorama merges; you can now have Photoshop fill in the missing areas at the time of creating the pano instead of having to do that manually yourself.
  • Layer styles can now be applied multiple times (up to 10 times).
  • Improved blur/noise.
  • Faster heal/patch.
  • Improved image exporting.
  • Adobe Stock market; with Adobe's purchase of Fotolia, they got a huge collection of artwork which they have now integrated into Photoshop.
  • Better content aware move and content aware extend.
  • Better HiDPI support on Windows.
  • Lots of 3D improvements, also with regards to printing.
  • And lots more. For a full list, see the release notes on the Adobe webite.

Camera Raw 9.1 now available

Together with the Lightroom update (see previous post), Adobe also released an update to Camera Raw.

Camera Raw 9.1 is available for both Photoshop 6 and Photoshop CC (the latter is required for the new features). Camera Raw 9.1 has additional camera raw support, lens profile support and addresses bugs that were introduced in previous releases.

New features in Camera Raw 9.1 with Photoshop CC

  • Dehaze
    • Many outdoor scenes have some amount of haze due to atmospheric conditions. Dehaze is a new feature for removing/adding haze and fog from pictures.
    • The user can control how much haze to remove by adjusting a new slider in the Effects panel in the Dehaze section. This feature can also be used in the other direction to increase the amount of haze.
    • Recommended Workflow – Adjust the white balance of the image before applying the Dehaze control.
  • Local White and Black Adjustment Sliders
    • Available with all 3 local adjustment tools:  Gradient Filter, Radial Filter and Local adjustment brush
    • Useful for fine-tuning tonality near the brightest and darkest parts of the picture. For instance, they can be used to increase the contrast of highlights.
    • Recommended Workflow – Make your global adjustments first and then use the local adjustments to fine tune. Use the clip warning indicator to help avoid clipping highlights and shadows.

New Camera Support

  • Fujifilm X-T10
  • Nikon 1 J5
  • Nikon D810A
  • Panasonic DMC-G7
  • Pentax K-S2
  • Pentax K3 II*
* Preliminary support. The multi-shot Pixel Shift Resolution and HDR features are still under investigation.

New Lens Profile Support

Mount Name
Canon Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM
Canon Canon EF 400mm f/4 DO IS II USM
Canon Tokina AT-X 11-20mm f/2.8 PRO DX
DJI PHANTOM 3 FC300S (RAW + JPEG)
DJI PHANTOM 3 FC300X (RAW + JPEG)
Leica Voigtlander VM 15mm f4.5 Super Wide Heliar III Aspherical
Nikon Nikon 1 NIKKOR VR 10-100mm f/4-5.6
Nikon Nikon 1 NIKKOR VR PD-Zoom 10-100mm f/4.5-5.6
Nikon Nikon AF NIKKOR 85mm f/1.4D IF
Nikon Tokina AT-X 11-20mm f/2.8 PRO DX
Pentax HD PENTAX-DA 18-50mm f/4-5.6 DC WR RE
Pentax HD PENTAX-DA L 18-50mm f/4-5.6 DC WR RE
Pentax HD PENTAX-D FA 150-450mm f/4.5-5.6ED DC AW
Sony Alpha Sony 16-35mm f/2.8 ZA SSM II
Sony Alpha Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 ZA SSM II
Sony Alpha Sony 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 G SSM II

Bugs Fixed

  • Reduced “color blur” artifacts when processing Fujifilm X-Trans raw images. In collaboration with Fujifilm, we are still investigating methods to improve fine detail rendering and overall edge definition.
  • The “Remove Chromatic Aberration” checkbox is now enabled by default for all Fujifilm cameras.
  • Fixed crash when reading some JPEG images.
  • Fixed bug where Camera Raw Filter would incorrectly show a soft-proofed image.
  • Improved quality of display color management on some wide-gamut displays when GPU acceleration is enabled.
  • HDR and Pano Merge: Cleared in-camera crop before merging rather than destructively applying it prior to merging.
  • Pano Merge: Fixed a Pano blending issue specific to Leica M9.
  • Fixed a bug with Panasonic LX100 – extended ISO 100 was too bright and Magenta Highlights have been fixed.
  • Fixed a bug with Nikon Coolpix P7800 NRW raw files that showed only Matrix as camera profile.

Lightroom CC / 6.1 updates

Adobe just released a major update to its Lightroom CC and 6 and iOS applications.

The updates provide additional camera raw support, lens profile support and address bugs that were introduced in previous releases of Lightroom.

For the full set of new features, you need to have the CC subscription version of Lightroom, but bug fixes, tethered capture, new camera and lens support updates are available in both Lightroom 6 and Lightroom CC.

From the release notes:

New features in Lightroom CC on the desktop

  • Dehaze
    • Many outdoor scenes have some amount of haze due to atmospheric conditions. Dehaze is a new feature for removing/adding haze and fog from pictures.
    • The user can control how much haze to remove by adjusting a new slider in the Effects panel in the Dehaze section. This feature can also be used in the other direction to increase the amount of haze.
    • Recommended Workflow – Adjust the white balance of the image before applying the Dehaze control.
  • Local White and Black Adjustment Sliders
    • Available with all 3 local adjustment tools:  Gradient Filter, Radial Filter and Local adjustment brush
    • Useful for fine-tuning tonality near the brightest and darkest parts of the picture. For instance, they can be used to increase the contrast of highlights.
    • Recommended Workflow – Make your global adjustments first and then use the local adjustments to fine tune. Use the clip warning indicator to help avoid clipping highlights and shadows.

Lightroom on iOS:

  • Video support:  You can now import, and sync your iPhone and iPad created videos from Lightroom on iOS to the web and desktop.
  • More adjustment tools
    • Vignettes
    • Adjust the Color channel and B&W mix
    • Tone Curve

New Camera Support

  • Fujifilm X-T10
  • Nikon 1 J5
  • Nikon D810A
  • Panasonic DMC-G7
  • Pentax K-S2
  • Pentax K3 II*
* Preliminary support. The multi-shot Pixel Shift Resolution and HDR features are still under investigation.

Tethered Capture Support:

  • Canon EOS 70D

New Lens Profile Support

Mount Name
Canon Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM
Canon Canon EF 400mm f/4 DO IS II USM
Canon Tokina AT-X 11-20mm f/2.8 PRO DX
DJI PHANTOM 3 FC300S (RAW + JPEG)
DJI PHANTOM 3 FC300X (RAW + JPEG)
Leica Voigtlander VM 15mm f4.5 Super Wide Heliar III Aspherical
Nikon Nikon 1 NIKKOR VR 10-100mm f/4-5.6
Nikon Nikon 1 NIKKOR VR PD-Zoom 10-100mm f/4.5-5.6
Nikon Nikon AF NIKKOR 85mm f/1.4D IF
Nikon Tokina AT-X 11-20mm f/2.8 PRO DX
Pentax HD PENTAX-DA 18-50mm f/4-5.6 DC WR RE
Pentax HD PENTAX-DA L 18-50mm f/4-5.6 DC WR RE
Pentax HD PENTAX-D FA 150-450mm f/4.5-5.6ED DC AW
Sony Alpha Sony 16-35mm f/2.8 ZA SSM II
Sony Alpha Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 ZA SSM II
Sony Alpha Sony 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 G SSM II

Bugs Fixed

11 May 2015

Canon introduces a new 50mm f/1.8 lens


Canon just introduced an all new “standard” 50mm lens. According to the information, this new Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM lens is optically better than its predecessor, the EF 50mm f/1.8 II.
The new 50mm f/1.8 STM will be available from 21 May for around $125.

Specifications Summary

  • Compact, lightweight, fixed focal length standard lens for EOS cameras
  • Large f/1.8 maximum aperture
  • 80mm effective focal length when attached to EOS cameras with APS-C sensors
  • Canon STM gear type stepping motor technology provides quiet autofocusing to support Canon’s EOS Movie Servo AF function
  • Improved exterior design including new focus ring placement makes it the most compact Canon EF 50mm lens ever
  • New metal mount for stability and ruggedness
  • Super Spectra Coating for minimized ghosting and flaring
  • Circular seven blade aperture
  • 14-inch minimum focusing distance
  • 0.21x maximum magnification

22 April 2015

Camera Raw & DNG Converter 9.0

With all the noise around the release of Lightroom 6/CC, one would almost forget about the update of Camera Raw and the DNG Converter.

Camera Raw 9 boasts the same new features as Lightroom 6/CC's develop module: so the HDR and Pano Merge as well as the speed improvements are available in ACR as well! (ACR users were already accustomed to the Filter Brushes, so that's not a new feature)

Please note that even though ACR 9.0 is available for Photoshop 6 too, the new features are only available to Photoshop CC subscribers!

The new version of Camera Raw is available through Photoshop's own update mechanism. The new DNG Converter can be downloaded from the Adobe website: Mac / Windows.

New Camera's supported by Camera Raw 9.0 & DNG Converter 9.0

  • Canon EOS 5DS
  • Canon EOS 5DS R
  • Canon EOS 750D (Rebel T6i, Kiss X8i)
  • Canon EOS 760D (Rebel T6s, Kiss 8000D)
  • Canon EOS M3
  • Casio EX-ZR3500
  • Fujifilm X-A2
  • Fujifilm XQ2
  • Hasselblad Stellar II
  • Nikon D5500
  • Nikon D7200
  • Olympus OM-D E-M5 II
  • Olympus Stylus SH-2
  • Olympus Tough TG-4
  • Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF7
  • Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS50 (DMC-TZ70, DMC-TZ71)
  • Samsung NX500

New lenses supported by Camera Raw 9.0 & DNG Converter 9.0

MountName
CanonCanon EF 8-15mm f/4L Fisheye USM
CanonCanon EF 11-24mm f/4L USM
CanonCanon EF 24-85mm f3.5-4.5 USM
CanonCanon EF 50mm f/2.5 Compact Macro
CanonCanon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM
CanonLomography Petzval 85mm f/2.2
CanonTAMRON SP 15-30mm F/2.8 Di VC USD A012E
CanonSIGMA 24mm F1.4 DG HSM A015
CanonVenus Optics 60mm f2.8 2X Ultra-Macro Lens
DJIDJI Inspire 1 FC350
LeicaVoigtlander LTM 28mm f/1.9 Ultron Aspherical
LeicaVoigtlander LTM 28mm f/3.5 Color Skopar
LeicaVoigtlander LTM 35mm f/1.7 Ultron Aspherical
LeicaVoigtlander LTM 50mm f/2 Heliar
LeicaVoigtlander LTM 50mm f/2.5 Color Skopar
LeicaVoigtlander LTM 50mm f/3.5 Heliar
LeicaVoigtlander LTM 75mm f/2.5 Color Heliar
LeicaVoigtlander LTM 90mm f/3.5 APO Lanthar
LeciaVoigtlander VM 40mm f/2.8 Heliar
MFTVoigtlander MFT 17.5mm f/0.95 Nokton Aspherical
MFTVoigtlander MFT 25mm f/0.95 Nokton
MFTVoigtlander MFT 42.5mm f/0.95 Nokton
NikonLomography Petzval 85mm f/2.2
NikonNikon AF NIKKOR 14mm f/2.8D ED
NikonNikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 55-200mm f/4-5.6G ED VR II
NikonNikon AF-S NIKKOR 300mm f/4E PF ED VR
NikonNikon NIKKOR 50mm f/1.2 AIS
NikonTAMRON SP 15-30mm F/2.8 Di VC USD A012N
NikonVenus Optics 60mm f2.8 2X Ultra-Macro Lens
NikonVoigtlander SL II 20mm f/3.5 Color-Skopar Aspherical
NikonVoigtlander SL II 28mm f/2.8 Color-Skopar Aspherical
NikonVoigtlander SL II 58mm f/1.4 Nokton
PentaxVenus Optics 60mm f2.8 2X Ultra-Macro Lens
PentaxSIGMA 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 DC MACRO OS HSM
Sigmadp1 Quattro*
Sigmadp2 Quattro*
Sigmadp3 Quattro*
SigmaSIGMA 24mm F1.4 DG HSM A015
SigmaSIGMA 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM C015
Sony AlphaSIGMA 50mm F1.4 DG HSM Art Lens
Sony AlphaTAMRON 16-300mm F/3.5-6.3 DiII PZD MACRO AB016S
Sony AlphaTAMRON 28-300mm F/3.5-6.3 Di PZD A010S
Sony AlphaTAMRON SP 70-200mm F/2.8 Di USD A009S
Sony AlphaTAMRON SP 150-600mm F/5-6.3 Di USD A011S
Sony AlphaTAMRON SP 90mm F/2.8 Di MACRO 1:1 USD F004S
Sony AlphaVenus Optics 60mm f2.8 2X Ultra-Macro Lens
Sony ESony FE 24-240mm F3.5-6.3 OSS
Sony ESony FE 28mm F2
Sony ESony FE 28mm F2 + Fisheye Converter
Sony ESony FE 28mm F2 + Ultra Wide Converter
Sony ESony FE 35mm F1.4 ZA
Sony ESony FE 90mm F2.8 Macro G OSS
Sony EZY Optics Mitakon Speedmaster 50mm f0.95 Pro
YuneecCGO2gb
* Lens corrections for the SIGMA dp1, dp2,and dp3 Quattro cameras are for JPEG images only.


    21 April 2015

    Lightroom 6/CC now available!

    We've been waiting for it for quite some time now, but here it finally is: a new version of Lightroom.

    The new version is available both as a stand-alone/upgrade version (called Lightroom 6, $149 full version / $79 upgrade) or as part of the Creative Cloud subscription model (where it's called Lightroom CC, available from $9.99/month as part of the Creative Cloud and Photography programs). The features are the same for both versions of the program.

    Key highlights of the new Lightroom 6/CC

    • HDR Merge – yes, directly from within Lightroom 6/CC, no extra (external) software required!
    • Panorama Merge – this is a boon to Lightroom Pano shooters; Lightroom 6/CC is now able to stitch together (raw) photos to form a panorama, which you can then edit with all the familiar Lightroom develop tools.
    • Face recognition and tagging – Lightroom is now able to recognise faces and can automatically tag your photos.
    • Filter brushes – The power of filter brushes finally comes to Lightroom too. Adobe Camera Raw has had this ability to manually paint in or out the masks generated by e.g., the radial or graduated gradients.
    • Speed – The new Lightroom should be faster than its predecessor as it now makes use of the Graphical Processing Unit to off-load some of its tasks.

    Canon software updates for DPP, EOS Utility, and Picture Style Editor

    Canon recently published updated versions of their DPP, EOS Utility, and Picture Style Editor software.

    You can download the updates from the Canon support website.

    Digital Photo Professional 3.14.48

    Changes for Digital Photo Professional 3.14.48 Updater:
    • Supports EF 11-24mm f/4L USM

    Digital Photo Professional 4.2.10

    Changes for Digital Photo Professional 4.2.10 Updater:
    • Supports 32-bit OS (Windows)
    • Supports EOS 8000D / EOS REBEL T6s / EOS 760D, EOS Kiss X8i / EOS REBEL T6i / EOS 750D, EOS M3.
    • Supports EF 11-24mm f/4L USM, EF-M 22mm f/2 STM, EF-M 11-22mm f/4-5.6 IS STM, EF-M 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM, EF-M 55-200mm f/4.5-6.3 IS STM.

    EOS Utility 2.14.20

    Changes for EOS Utility 2.14.20 Updater:
    • Supports EF 11-24mm f/4L USM

    EOS Utility 3.2.10

    Changes for EOS Utility 3.2.10:
    • Supports EOS 8000D / EOS REBEL T6s / EOS 760D, EOS Kiss X8i / EOS REBEL T6i / EOS 750D, EOS M3.
    • Supports EF 11-24mm f/4L USM.

    Picture Style Editor 1.15.10

    Changes for Picture Style Editor 1.15.10 Updater:
    • Supports EOS 8000D / EOS REBEL T6s / EOS 760D, EOS Kiss X8i / EOS REBEL T6i / EOS 750D, EOS M3.

    Firmware update for the Nikon D4s

    Nikon just released an update to the firmware for its D4s camera.

    The new “C” firmware version 1.20 can be downloaded from the Nikon download centre.

    The update contains the following changes/fixes:
    • Commander mode can now be selected for Custom Setting e3 (Optional flash) when an optional SB-500 flash unit is attached.
    • The Auto and Flash white-balance options can now be used with the LED light on the optional SB-500 flash unit.
    • Auto white balance is now more consistent.
    • There is no longer a limit on the number of shots that can be taken in a single burst at shutter speeds of 4 s or faster when a continuous-release mode is selected in exposure mode S or M. *
    • There is no longer a limit on how long the shutter can remain open when “Time” is selected for shutter speed.
    • We have changed how focus points are displayed in the viewfinder if the camera is rotated between “wide” (landscape) and “tall” (portrait) orientations with Focus point and AF-area mode selected for Custom Setting a10 (Store by orientation) and different focus points chosen in each orientation. We have also changed how focus points are displayed in the viewfinder if a lens focus function button is pressed with AF-area mode selected for Custom Setting f19 (Lens focus function buttons).
    • Some help text has been changed.
    • The following issues have been resolved:
      • If the user focused using the AF-ON button before shooting in continuous-release mode, the frame rate would drop under the following conditions: AF-S selected for focus mode, Single-point AF selected for AF-area mode, Focus selected for Custom Setting a2 (AF-S priority selection), and AF-ON only selected for Custom Setting a4 (AF activation).
      • When an AF-S NIKKOR 800mm f/5.6E lens was attached, “Err” would be displayed in the top control panel and pictures could not be taken under some exposure conditions.
      • Images would sometimes fail to display correctly during image review if playback zoom was used while the memory-card access lamp was lit.
      • Images would not clear from the display if an optional WR-1 wireless remote controller was used with On selected for Image review in the playback menu.
      • The camera photo info display would not show the correct range for pictures taken with an optional flash unit in distance-priority manual flash mode (GN).
      • When pictures taken using a PC-E lens were viewed in Capture NX-D and other Nikon software, the Metadata would list the lens as type E rather than type D.
      • The photo information display for movies, movie stills, and photos taken with the Silent shutter-release option would sometimes list incorrect values for shutter speed, aperture, and ISO sensitivity.
      • If the camera was connected via HDMI to 4K a compatible TV, neither the camera nor the television would display menus correctly.
      • Volume sometimes could not be adjusted if indicators were hidden during movie playback.
      • If both XQD and CompactFlash cards were inserted in the camera when it was connected to a computer, the computer would not recognize the XQD card.

    21 March 2015

    Nikon software updates

    Together with a new download centre, Nikon also released a number of updates.

    ViewNX-i 1.0.0

    • ViewNX‑i is the replacement of Nikon's ViewNX2 image browser software. It works together with Capture NX-D (version 1.2.0 and higher) and comes bundled the ViewNX Movie Editor.
    Download: ViewNX‑i version 1.0.0

    Nikon Camera Control Pro 2.21.0

    • Support for the D7200 has been added.
    • A Show ViewNX-i option has been added to the Tools menu.
    • A Show it with ViewNX-i option has been added to the When a new image is received from the camera item in the Transfer Options dialog accessed from the Tools menu > Transfer Options….
    Download: Nikon Camera Control Pro 2.21.0

    Nikon Capture NX-D Version 1.2.0

    • Support for RAW images captured with the D7200 has been added.
    • An Open with ViewNX-i option has been added to the File menu.
    • An Open with ViewNX-i tool (icon) has been added to the toolbar.
    • When NEF-format images were converted to a different format after cropping, the portion of the image remaining after conversion did not always correspond to the actual crop applied. This issue has been resolved.
    Download: Nikon Capture NX-D Version 1.2.0

    Nikon NEF Codec Version 1.26.0

    • Supports NEF (RAW) images taken with the D7200.
    Download: Nikon NEF Codec Version 1.26.0

    Nikon UT-1 Firmware Version 2.3

    • Support for the D7200 has been added.
    Download: Nikon UT-1 Firmware Version 2.3

    Nikon Wireless Transmitter Utility Version 1.5.4

    • Support for the D7200 has been added.
    • Support for the Communication Unit UT-1 Firmware Ver. 2.3 has been added.
    Download: Nikon Wireless Transmitter Utility Version 1.5.4

    Nikon Picture Control Utility 2 Version 2.1.0

    • Support for the D7200 has been added.
    Download: Nikon Picture Control Utility 2 Version 2.1.0

    19 March 2015

    Adobe Camera Raw 8.8 now available

    Adobe just released Camera Raw 8.8 for for Photoshop CS6 and Photoshop CC / CC 2014. As always the DNG Converter has similarly been updated.

    You should receive the updates for Camera Raw automatically via the Creative Cloud application (in case of problems, see here for manual instructions).

    The DNG converter can be downloaded from the Adobe site: Mac / Win.

    New camera support in Camera Raw 8.8

    • Casio EX-ZR3500
    • Canon EOS 750D (Rebel T6i, Kiss X8i) (*)
    • Canon EOS 760D (Rebel T6s, Kiss 8000D) (*)
    • Fujifilm X-A2
    • Fujifilm XQ2
    • Hasselblad Stellar II
    • Nikon D5500
    • Olympus OM-D E-M5 II
    • Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF7
    • Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS50 (DMC-TZ70, DMC-TZ71)
    (*) denotes preliminary support. Camera Matching colour profiles for these models will be added in a future release.

    New lens profile support in Camera Raw 8.8

    MountName
    CanonCanon EF 24-85mm f3.5-4.5 USM
    CanonCanon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM
    CanonTAMRON SP 15-30mm F/2.8 Di VC USD
    DJIDJI Inspire 1 FC350
    LeicaVoigtlander LTM 28mm f/1.9 Ultron Aspherical
    LeicaVoigtlander LTM 28mm f/3.5 Color Skopar
    LeicaVoigtlander LTM 35mm f/1.7 Ultron Aspherical
    LeicaVoigtlander LTM 50mm f/2 Heliar
    LeicaVoigtlander LTM 50mm f/2.5 Color Skopar
    LeicaVoigtlander LTM 50mm f/3.5 Heliar
    LeicaVoigtlander LTM 75mm f/2.5 Color Heliar
    LeicaVoigtlander LTM 90mm f/3.5 APO Lanthar
    LeicaVoigtlander VM 40mm f/2.8 Heliar
    MFTVoigtlander MFT 17.5mm f/0.95 Nokton Aspherical
    MFTVoigtlander MFT 25mm f/0.95 Nokton
    MFTVoigtlander MFT 42.5mm f/0.95 Nokton
    Nikon FNikon AF NIKKOR 14mm f/2.8D ED
    Nikon FNikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 55-200mm f/4-5.6G ED VR II
    Nikon FNikon AF-S NIKKOR 300mm f/4E PF ED VR
    Nikon FNikon NIKKOR 50mm f/1.2 AIS
    Nikon FTAMRON SP 15-30mm F/2.8 Di VC USD A012N
    Nikon FVoigtlander SL II 20mm f/3.5 Color-Skopar Aspherical
    Nikon FVoigtlander SL II 28mm f/2.8 Color-Skopar Aspherical
    Nikon FVoigtlander SL II 58mm f/1.4 Nokton
    PentaxSIGMA 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 DC MACRO OS HSM
    Sigmadp1 Quattro*
    Sigmadp2 Quattro*
    Sony AlphaSIGMA 50mm F1.4 DG HSM Art Lens
    Sony AlphaTAMRON 16-300mm F/3.5-6.3 DiII PZD MACRO AB016S
    Sony AlphaTAMRON 28-300mm F/3.5-6.3 Di PZD A010S
    Sony AlphaTAMRON SP 70-200mm F/2.8 Di USD A009S
    Sony AlphaTAMRON SP 150-600mm F/5-6.3 Di USD A011S
    Sony AlphaTAMRON SP 90mm F/2.8 Di MACRO 1:1 USD F004S
    Sony ESony FE 16mm F3.5 Fisheye
    Sony ESony FE 21mm F2.8
    Sony ESony FE 24-240mm F3.5-6.3 OSS
    Sony ESony FE 28mm F2
    Sony ESony FE 35mm F1.4 ZA
    Sony ESony FE 90mm F2.8 Macro G OSS
    Sony EZY Optics Mitakon Speedmaster 50mm f0.95 Pro
    YuneecCGO2gb

    Bug Fixes:

    • Fixed issue with magenta highlights when processing Canon EOS 70D raw files at some ISO settings
    • Fixed issue where vignette correction introduced banding for Voigtlander VM 21mm f/1.8 Ultron
    • Fixed vignette overcorrection at certain focus distances for Pentax FA645 MACRO 120mm F4
    • Fixed issue where vignette correction introduced banding at wider focal lengths for Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5G ED VR
    • Fixed EXIF name for Zeiss OTUS 85mm f/1.4 (Canon and Nikon mount)
    • Fixed vignette overcorrection for Zeiss Distagon T 1,4_35 ZM
    • Updated lens profile to reflect firmware changes to SIGMA 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM S014

    2 March 2015

    New: Nikon D7200 DX Camera

    Nikon today announced an upgrade to the D7100, the D7200. The D7200 is Nikon's latest top level DX (crop sensor) camera body. The D7200 will have a new 51-point AF system with improved performance, especially in low-light situations (it can still focus at -3 EV). An extended buffer capacity allows for continuous shooting of up to 100 shots (JPEG fine/Large) at 6 fps. And, to many a very welcome things, the D7200 has built-in Wi-Fi, and (with Android OS), supports NFC for fast, easy wireless communication.

    The D7200 will be available from 19 March at a price of €1,199/$1,199.

    Full specifications

    10 February 2015

    Nikon unveils the D810a, a modified D810 designed for astrophotography

    Today Nikon unveiled a new version of the D810, the D810a. This new D810a DSLR camera is designed specifically for astrophotography. Canon has always been the brand for astrophotographers (they have a solid reputation in that field and have had a specific camera for a while now, the EOS 60Da), but now Nikon shooters have a very good option as well, and with 36MP quality!

    Full specifications

    9 February 2015

    Nikon software updates

    Over the past couple of weeks, Nikon has released a number of software updates:

    Capture NX-D


    Changes (Mac and Windows)
    • Support for the D5500, COOLPIX L31 (not released in Japan), COOLPIX L32, COOLPIX S3700, and COOLPIX S2900 (not released in Japan) has been added.
    • When Capture NX-D is used to edit files that were once edited with Capture NX 2, additional adjustment of editing performed with Capture NX 2 is now possible.
      • However, only items in the Develop section of the Capture NX 2 Edit List can be adjusted with Capture NX-D. In addition, images that have been edited using Color Efex Pro may be edited after settings are reverted to their original values.
    • A PF Flare Control item has been added to the Camera and Lens Corrections palette.
      • This item can be used to reduce flare (ring flare, circular flare, etc.) caused by bright light sources in images captured with compatible lenses.
    • A Revert to Last Saved State option has been added to the Adjust menu.
      • This option resets adjustments applied with Capture NX-D.
    • A Launch Camera Control Pro 2 option has been added to the Tool menu.
    • The following issues have been resolved.
      • When images to which Distortion Control has been applied are opened, edges were fringed with colour.
      • When Noise Reduction was applied, the application would quit unexpectedly.
      • When a RAW image captured with a camera that does not support the Picture Control system (D2XS, D2X、D2HS, D2H, D1X, D1H, D1, D200, D100, D80, D70S, D70, D60, D40X, D40) was displayed, the icon indicating that the image had been edited was displayed, even if the image had not actually been edited.
      • When Quick Adjust was applied to RAW images captured at a Picture Control setting of Neutral, Flat, or Monochrome, and for which Recorded Value was selected in the Picture Control palette, the Quick Adjust value reverted back to "0.00" when the images were again displayed in Capture NX-D after the application was once closed and then launched again.
      • A Noise Reduction setting of Better Quality 2013 could be selected for JPEG and TIFF images.
    Changes (Windows only)
    • The following issues have been resolved.
      • Multiple images in the My Pictures folder could not be selected to copy or move under Windows 7 or an earlier operating system.
      • When files were saved with different file names using the Convert Files function, the new file names were not accurately reflected.
    Changes (Mac only)
    • Support for OS X version 10.10.1 has been added.
    • OS X version 10.7.5 is no longer supported.

    You can download the updated version from the Nikon support site

    ViewNX 2.10.3


    Changes (Mac and Windows)
    • Support for the D5500, COOLPIX L31 (not released in Japan), COOLPIX S3700, COOLPIX L32, and the COOLPIX S2900 (not released in Japan) has been added.

    Changes (Windows only)
    • When images were converted to JPEG format using the Convert Files function with Quality set to Good Compression Ratio or Highest Compression Ratio, the resulting JPEG images could not be displayed in ViewNX 2, Capture NX 2, or Capture NX-D. This issue has been resolved.

    Changes (Mac only)
    • Support for OS X version 10.10.1 has been added.
    • OS X version 10.7.5 is no longer supported.
    You can download the updated version from the Nikon support site

    Capture NX2 2.4.7 (Mac installer update only)


    Changes
    • Updated installer now compatible with Mac OS X 10.10 (Yosemite).
    Note: the application itself has not changed, Nikon only updated the installer. So this update is of interest only to people wanting to (freshly) install Capture NX2 2.4.7 on their Mac with Yosemite (OS X 10.10).

    You can download the updated version from the Nikon imaging website

    Nikon Camera Control Pro 2.20.0


    Changes (Mac and Windows)
    • Support D5500 has been added.
    • With continuous shooting using the D4S, D810, or D750 with image quality set to a NEF (RAW)+JPEG option, and the Transfer only JPEG to PC option set to On, the transfer of JPEG images to the computer would be terminated before all images in the series had been transferred. This issue has been resolved.
    Changes (Mac only)
    • Support for OS X version 10.10.1 has been added.
    • Mac OS X version 10.7.5 is no longer supported.
    • If an application other than Camera Control Pro 2 was brought to the front, and the Camera Control Pro 2 window was minimized, under OS X version 10.9, images sometimes could not be transferred. This issue has been resolved.
    You can download the update from the Nikon support site.

    Wireless Transmitter Utility 1.5.3 (Mac only)

    Changes
    • Support for OS X 10.10.1 has been added.
    • OS X 10.7.5 is no longer supported.
    You can download the update from the Nikon support site.

    Picture Control Utility 2.0.2

    Changes (Mac and Windows)
    • Support for the D5500 has been added.
    • Preview images can now be rotated.
    Changes (Mac only)
    • Support for OS X version 10.10.1 has been added.
    • OS X version 10.7.5 is no longer supported.
    You can download the update from the Nikon support site.

    5 February 2015

    New Canon 50.6 MP (!) cameras announced

    Canon just announced their new 50.6 Mega Pixel (!) cameras. Like the earlier Nikon D800, the new EOS 5DS comes in two flavours. One with and one without an optical low pass filter. (Which, to be honest, I do not understand; clearly Nikon, and others, have shown that with these high mega pixel counts there is no need for an optical low pass filter any longer).

    EOS 5DS Key features

    • ISO 100-6400 (expandable to 50-12800)
    • 50.6 MP CMOS sensor with dual DIGIC 6 processors
    • 150K Pixel RGB+IR Metering Sensor
    • Up to 5.0 Frames Per Second
    • 61-point AF
    • Cropped Shooting (1.3x, 1.6x and 1:1)
    • Low-pass cancellation filter (EOS 5DS R)


    31 January 2015

    Canon firmware updates for the EOS-1D X and EOS-5D Mark III

    Canon just published new firmwares for two of its flagship cameras.


    EOS 1D X firmware 2.0.7

    Firmware version 2.0.7 incorporates the following functional improvements and fixes:
    1. Improves the AF controllability when shooting in Live View mode with a wide-angle lens (fixed focal length or zoom).
    2. Fixes a phenomenon in which, when shooting long exposures (several minutes), vertical lines appear on the right edge of captured images (still photos).
    3. Fixes a phenomenon in which the Auto Exposure Bracketing (AEB) may not perform as intended when in continuous shooting mode and where the shutter speed is longer than 1 second.
    4. Improves the reliability of the control mechanism for the Picture Style Auto setting.
    5. Fixes a phenomenon in which the electronic level indicator does not work correctly.
    6. Fixes a phenomenon in which, when using the "Save and read camera settings" function, the color space data that is selected in "Custom shooting mode (C1-C3)" is not saved. *1
    7. Corrects some incorrect indications on the "English" and "Russian" menu screens.
    *1 As a result of this fix, cameras with Firmware Version 2.0.7 will not be able to read the "camera settings file" created with cameras running Firmware Version 2.0.3 (or earlier). If you require the "camera settings file", please create it after updating to firmware version 2.0.7.

    You can download the new firmware from the Canon website.

    EOS 5D Mark III firmware 1.3.3

    Firmware version 1.3.3 incorporates the following improvement and fix:
    1. Improves the AF controllability when shooting in Live View mode with a wide-angle lens (fixed focal length or zoom).
    2. Corrects some incorrect indications on the "English" and "Russian" menu screens.

    You can download the new firmware from the Canon website.



    New Nikon D5500 camera and 300 f/4 and 55-200 f/4-5.6 lenses

    Note: I've been quite busy in beautiful (and snowy!) Bavaria so I bring you this news with some delay…

    Nikon recently announced a number of new products: a new D5500 DSLR, an updated and much lighter 300mm f/4 telephoto lens as well as a third generation of the popular 55-200 f/4-5.6 zoom lens.

    Nikon D5500 – Highlights

    • Vari angle touch screen monitor
    • Strong monocoque body (i.e., chassis and body are integral)
    • Built-in WiFi
    • 24.2 Mega Pixel
    • 5fps continuous shooting
    • Video of up to 1920x1080 at 60fps
    Full spec: see Nikon website
    Price: ± $899.95


    AF-S NIKKOR 300mm f/4E PF ED VR – Highlights

    • Nano Crystal coat suppresses chromatic abberrations and ghosting
    • Fluorine coat repels water and oils
    • PF (Phase Fresnel) lens element
    • Electromagnetic aperture
    • Much lighter (almost half the weight!) and compacter than the previous model
    Full spec: see Nikon website
    Price: ± $1,999.95


    AF-S DX NIKKOR 55-200mm f/4-5.6G ED VR II – Highlights

    • Retractable barrel, reduces size
    • Second generation VR (up to 4 stops)
    Full spec: see Nikon website
    Price: ± $349.95

    6 January 2015

    New version of Canon DPP: support for more cameras

    In answer to many users of older Canon cameras, Canon released a new version of its Digital Photo Professional (DPP) software, which now supports – in addition to its current range of full-frame DSLRs – the EOS-1D Mark IV, EOS 70D, EOS 7D Mark II, EOS 7D, EOS 5D Mark II, EOS 700D and EOS 100D.

    So if you are an owner of one of those “older” cameras and would like to use the latest version of Canon's DPP software, be sure to check out and download DPP 4.1.50 from the Canon Europe support site.

    Note: the serial number of an applicable camera is required for the download!

    DPP 4.1.50: Key Features

    • Faster, real-time adjustments.
    • Improved RAW file workflow.
    • Better, more approachable user interfaces.
    • Compatible with 64-bit native environments.
    • Colour adjustments for specific colour gamuts.
    • Improved highlight recovery provides expanded tonality.
    • Improved shadow recovery function.
    • Support for movie playback.
    • Auto Lighting Optimizer can be applied to JPEG images.
    • Better integration with EOS Utility.

    DPP 4.1.50: Supported Cameras

    • EOS 100D
    • EOS 5D Mark II
    • EOS 5D Mark III
    • EOS 6D
    • EOS 6D
    • EOS 700D
    • EOS 70D
    • EOS 70D
    • EOS 7D
    • EOS 7D Mark II
    • EOS-1D C
    • EOS-1D Mark IV
    • EOS-1D X

    Nikon D750 and D810 firmware updates

    Nikon released two firmware updates last month as well. The new Nikon D750 and D810 both received a firmware update.

    Nikon D750 firmware C:1.01

    • When shooting with an optional Speedlight and Auto FP high-speed sync enabled with On selected for ISO sensitivity settings > Auto ISO sensitivity control in the photo shooting menu, images were sometimes over-exposed. This issue has been resolved. (Enabling auto FP high-speed sync: Select 1/200 s (Auto FP) or 1/250 s (Auto FP) for Custom Setting e1: Flash sync speed)
    • When menus were displayed with the camera connected to a 4K-compatible TV via HDMI, display in both the camera monitor and on the TV was not correct. This issue has been resolved.
    • Noise that could sometimes be heard when Custom Setting d1: Beep was set to any option other than Off has been reduced.
    You can download the firmware update from the Nikon support site: USA | EU

    Nikon D810 firmware C:1.02

    • When playback zoom was applied to an image displayed in the camera monitor (image display enlarged) while the memory card access lamp was still lit immediately after capture, the image was not correctly displayed. This issue has been resolved.
    • When menus were displayed with the camera connected to a 4K-compatible TV via HDMI, display in both the camera monitor and on the TV was not correct. This issue has been resolved.
    • Noise that could sometimes be heard when Custom Setting d1: Beep was set to any option other than Off has been reduced.
    You can download the firmware update from the Nikon support site: USA | EU

    Canon EOS 6D Firmware 1.1.6 Released

    Canon last month released a firmware update for its EOS 6D camera.

    The following has been updated:
    • Fixes a phenomenon in which the camera may not first use the centre AF point to focus, when the AF point selection is set to automatic in AI Servo AF mode.
    • Fixes a phenomenon in which focus cannot be finely adjusted with specific lenses when shooting remotely with EOS Utility software.
    • Corrects some Ukrainian language displayed on the menu for ISO Setting.
    The new firmware can be downloaded from the Canon website.